A Poisonous Thorn In Our Hearts

Sudan and South Sudan's Bitter and Incomplete Divorce

James Copnall

Description

What happened after Africa's biggest country split in two? When South Sudan ran up its flag in July 2011, two new nations came into being. In South Sudan a former rebel movement faces colossal challenges in building a new country. At independence it was one of the least developed places on earth, after decades of conflict and neglect. The 'rump state', Sudan, has been debilitated by devastating civil wars, including in Darfur, and lost a significant part of its territory, and most of its oil wealth, after the divorce from the South. In the years after separation, the two Sudans dealt with crippling economic challenges, struggled with new and old rebellions, and fought each other along their disputed border. Benefiting from unsurpassed access to the politicians, rebels, thinkers and events that are shaping the Sudans, Copnall draws a compel- ling portrait of two misunderstood countries. A Poisonous Thorn in Our Hearts argues that Sudan and South Sudan remain deeply interdependent, despite their separation. It also diagnoses the political failings that threaten the future of both countries. The author puts the turmoil of the years after separation into a broader context, reflecting the voices, hopes and experiences of Sudanese and South Sudanese from all walks of life.

A Poisonous Thorn In Our Hearts

Sudan and South Sudan's Bitter and Incomplete Divorce

James Copnall

Author Information

James Copnall was the BBC Sudan correspondent from 2009-12, covering South Sudan's independence, the Darfur war, rebellions, and clashes between the Sudans. He has reported from over twenty African countries.

A Poisonous Thorn In Our Hearts

Sudan and South Sudan's Bitter and Incomplete Divorce

James Copnall

Reviews and Awards

"A clear-headed and compassionate account of events leading up to and after the creation of South Sudan a year earlier, and what it means for what remains of Sudan. EL Measured and understated. --The Economist

"A first-hand account [that] offers an even-handed, insightful perspective on the creation of South Sudan and a bleak assessment of its future." --Financial Times

"A clear, lucid and comprehensive book [that] fills an important gap by explaining these two countries. . . . Copnall is measured, perceptive and notably fair-minded."--The Telegraph

"Copnall's thoughtful approach [EL] offers a compelling picture of the complex ways in which people's interests and aspirations are interwoven, and sometimes conflict, across the Sudans . . . An excellent book."-Times Literary Supplement

"Interesting and informative. . . Just about everyone gets a word in, from the politicians, to cattle herders, to rueful southern intellectuals contemplating the chaos that southern independence has brought, to tough fist-fighting local governors, to tea ladies in the market. ELThis account of the secession of South Sudan makes good on its claim to portray one of the world's most interesting places."--The Spectator

"A Poisonous Thorn in Our Hearts merges fact with humanity, giving a face and a voice to the often harsh realities of this region. In doing so, this book provides a comprehensive introduction to this challenging and evolving context.'"--International Affairs

"Copnall's many interviews with officials and ordinary people on both sides lend the book real authority and a sense of genuine empathy for the people of the two Sudans."--Foreign Affairs

"As the BBC's Sudan correspondent between 2009 and 2013, Copnall's deep experience of Africa broadly, and the Sudan in particular, shows through in the number of interviews conducted with politicians, rebels, and thinkers, reflecting a broad range of opinions and insights. Readers of this volume are therefore well placed to draw their own conclusions on Sudan and South Sudan, based on a wealth of evidence. The work is useful as a primer to what is a complex and dynamic subject. EL [I]n explaining the current Sudanese political landscapes Copnall goes beyond the oversimplified concepts of Muslims versus Christians, North versus South, and the insular 'tribal' groupings, and concentrates on a plethora of social, political, and security threats." --African Affairs